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[PeterS]

Now that you've had a chance to get to know MC a little bit, please submit any tips and tricks for using the app that might help newbies and other users.  Anything that saves time, makes things easier or is just plain slick. Let us know.

We may incorporate them in Help files, guides etc.

Thanks,

PeterS

[Doof]

I am completely bankrupt of ideas.

[KingSparta]

>> please submit any tips and tricks
UnInstall everything else that plays music

[Jaguu]

PeterS,

if you want that users realize all the goodies inside MC9, this time a simple Help file is probably not enough. You have to give instructions and szenarios on how to use MC9 as the key app that drives your HDTV, Stereo, Home Theater etc.

Samples:
1) Users need to know how to run MC with more than one monitor (2 CRT/TFT or TV set)
2) Users need to know how to hook in your stereo, video recorder, camera, scanner etc with MC9.
3) Users need to know how to control MC9 by remote control (remotes and pocket pc's).
4) Using MC9 to set up different zones in your home
5) Proper usage of playback zones and media server
etc. etc.

All these things we found out more or less the expensive way by googling the net and yabbing this forum, time consuming, error prone - just those that like to be pioneers.

But for the others - they need easy ways to go!

Also: TiVo might be a great thing for you and maybe UK!
But don't forget the rest of the world does not have TiVo nor HDTV. So you definitely have to make everybody aware of that!

Also: Dealing with so many new technologies and so many new words (samples: ASIO, PCM, DIVX, AA3), it is impossible for newbies to know what is behind such words. So a good glossary that explains all that should be included!

I feel all this is more important this time than simple tips and tricks! Otherwise many gems of MC9 will remain hidden!

By the way, most of the MJ8 tips and tricks should still work!

[PeterS]

Jaguu,

Thanks for your post. I agree with with you. With more complexity and depth comes a greater need for explanation and help. The Help file is just one component. We are also thinking about other ways to inform, such as tutorials, how-to's...

We have to somehow bridge the gap between the newer users and power users like you. Therefore quick tips and more detailed explanations may need to coexist.

All suggestions are appreciated.

PeterS

[nila]

Tips

• Get the most album like feel of any jukebox to date by installing AV2
  
• Seperate out all your artists that you have single songs for from those who you collect and who's albums you have by keeping all your songs in one root directory and then by having sub folders beneath it for: single artist albums, singles, compilations, soundtracks then create view schemes with the search criteria set to be the root path for the albums, or for the compilations, or soundtracks or singles so you can have tree's like this:
  - Albums by Artist
  - Compilations
  - Soundtracks
  - Singles
  
  Helps to keep the tree tidy and helps to give a better feel of which full albums you have. Also helps to replicate real life better.
  
  
• Use MJ to organise your collection of TV series by entering them into their own folder then using this as the search criteria. Create your own fields then Customise the view to just contain:
  - Series Name
  - Series
  - Episode
  - Episode Title
  
  
• Make your songs more complete by installing Chart Finder and using it to get chart position information and Lyrics for all your songs.
  
  
• Get the most out of burning by writing the CD-Text to all CD's you burn so that the song information displays on all compatible players giving you more info than the real original CD.
  
  
• Install the LowerLeft skin to get one of the most practical skins for Media Jukebox.
  
  
• Quickly fill in album track numbers by pressing the 'filename' column to sort by filename and then using the 'fill tracks from order' tool.
  
  
• Use the 'rename from properties' tool to give all your songs a consistent naming format enabling all the information about the song to be easily read by simply looking at the filename.
  
  
• Use the 'rename from properties' to sort all albums by artist name, genre, album type etc easily.
  
  
• To move all your files not a new harddrive quickly and easily choose: Move/Copy File from the tools. If however you have additional files inside the album folders that you wish to move as well then simply move all the files in explorer to their new location, then use the find and replace tool and enter as the 'find' the old root path for your songs (ie: C:\documents and settings\your name\my documents\my music\) and the replace text put the new root path (ie  D:\My Music) and then just check the box for 'filename' .
  
  

[nila]

Oh yeah,
and to be honest - WAY more useful than the help file, is to make MJ's options be set interactively rather than by the user going to the options screen and setting them:

ie - the first time the user goes to media library to view it have a prompt appear saying: If you would like to sort your songs by any other scheme than the one here, right click and choose 'create view scheme' etc. (check here to never display this message again).

- The first time they create a view scheme, if no search criteria is entered, display a message: View schemes can be restricted to only display specific information. To restrict what information the tree shows enter a search phraze or possibly a pre-made playlist into the 'search criteria' field. (checkbox - never display this message again). Tell them that any valid search string is also a valid string to restrict any view. ALSO make sure to inform them that smartlists can be tied to trees (this one took me ages to figure and is HUGELY powerful).

- The first time they go to type a search have a box saying: to see a list of all possible valid search criteria click on the button to the left and ..... etc. telling them of that feature and where to find it and how to use it

also (important) have one appear that says: your search can also be restricted to only return a certain length of songs, or megabytes etc - to do this do blah (people expect to be able to search but limiting a search is unusual and should definitely be a highlighted feature.


- Duplicates: MC can find duplicate songs for you. It finds the duplicates using the following information (give the user info on how it tells identical songs so they are then more informed users) - to find duplicates do this:


- The first time they go to burn an album MAKE SURE you tell them how to then go to the burning screen as I know a LOT of people who just never find it (go to cd, dvd, devices - burner etc.)

- The first time they click 'Start' when in the burning screen display an alert asking if they would like to burn the CD with the CD text information: yes/No (remember my choice)

- Would you like to apply your playback settings to this CD you are about to burn?:
You can use this to:
- Fade tracks together
- remove any gaps between songs
- Burn tracks with DSP settings

- First time they ever load up MC ask them which screen they would like MC to load up in next time and then use this to set the options screen. - Remember to tell them they can change this at any time by going to the options screen.

- First time they add songs inform them that by pressing Ctrl as they add the songs it can append them instead of replacing them.

- First time they rearrange a view by clicking on the column headers inform them of sticky views and the ability to customise the fields that appear and also to create new ones.

- First time they rip ask them if they want cover art, to eject the CD (remember my settings checkbox)




And to those of you that are thinking: GOD all those boxes would be annoying - remember - You only have to EVER see any of them ONCE at the beginning and imagine you'd never used MC before - how fast you'd understand it's features if you'd been told straight away.
Search criteria took me like a month or two to realise they were there. Drop target took me 5 months.

And remember the first time you use Internet Explorer?
- You are entering a secure zone (never show me again)
- Do you want it to remember your form enteries? (never ask me again)
- Do you want it to remember your password? (dont ask me again)
- You are leaving a secure zone (dont ask me again)

EVERYONE has seen these and without realising it, or even knowing there is such a thing as an option screen, has set IE to act and behave the way they want it. They just inform of features each time you come accross new ones.
Tool tips are ok but they're not really interactive learning, you dont learn as your using. It's more like sitting down and reading a book before trying something. This way is more like trying it as your reading the book.

[Marko]

I was hoping for an ultra-comprehensive help file to get me in touch with the bits I'm missing or not quite getting to grips with.
My point being, I guess, if a user doesn't know that MC can do x, y, or z, he/she is not going to ask for any help on the matter, so as well as offering help, it also needs to advertise it's features....
It did occur to me though, that if we get that, it's gotta be one humungous help file and I don't envy the people writing it!!!!

[JimH]

I was hoping for an ultra-comprehensive help file to get me in touch with the bits I'm missing or not quite getting to grips with.
My point being, I guess, if a user doesn't know that MC can do x, y, or z, he/she is not going to ask for any help on the matter, so as well as offering help, it also needs to advertise it's features....
It did occur to me though, that if we get that, it's gotta be one humungous help file and I don't envy the people writing it!!!!

We don't have just a person or people writing it.  We have Lise -- or as we call her, Super-doc.

The Help file is now the main thing we need to be able to release MC.

[Jaguu]

There is definitely a lot of knowledge deep buried in YaBB. But it needs to be extracted, ordered, sorted, revised, edited, categorized, neatly formatted and last but not least made available to everybody!

[nila]

I agree.
Best way to know what help, tips etc to add is to go through YADB since v9 was made available and see what questions people asked, what problems, what advice etc.

That's the best way to know whats important and whats not.

A slow and painful process no doubt

[lise]

Oh my, have I got my work cut out for me!  I'm back from Vegas, and ready to continue writing the help file... I will, however, need some help from users.  If I were to start a new thread tomorrow (I still need sleep after the red-eye flight), where I would post questions I come across concerning the more advanced features, would users be willing to help me  out with explicit instructions?  I have used many of these features, but sometimes the way others do things might be simpler.

Let me know if you would be willing to help me out in this way.

[dragyn]

yes, of course we will....

[fex]

Yup.

[Mastiff]

If you want to do tutorials, have a look at how Syntrillium (makers of CoolEdit) does it: http://support.syntrillium.com/tutorials.html I will say that they have the best tutorials on the web, at least of those I've seen.  

[nila]

Help you out?
No way! I positively refuse. I'd rather die. NEVER. As if!!

/sigh, ok, where do I do it?

[TimB]

If you want to do tutorials, have a look at how Syntrillium (makers of CoolEdit) does it: http://support.syntrillium.com/tutorials.html I will say that they have the best tutorials on the web, at least of those I've seen.  

WOW, I was thinking EXACTLY THE SAME THING.  Their tutorials are so cool.  I don't use CoolEdit anything like as much as MC9 but I get the idea that they're also very involved in listening to users, etc. like MC9.  (Another company in the same mode is JASC who make Paint Shop Pro.)

-=Tim=-

[lee269]

Im gonna second/third this, because I also find the syntrillium tutorials very useful. The good thing about them is that whilst they dont necessarily go into the fine detail of what is an extremely complex program, they do a good job of explaining complicated concepts in a visually appealing and friendly way, which gives you confidence to play about with the application. There is a parallel with MC here of course.

However the help is implemented I think a set of simple tutorials to demonstrate the breadth of the program would be really useful and help introduce new users to exactly what is possible.